The Visual and Performing Arts Career Panel offers students the opportunity to learn about the amazing jobs and industries in which our successful alumni are working. Students hear real world experience and tips on how to be successful during and after their PVCC education.
2019 Summer Camps Are Here! Early Bird Registration
Registration is now open for 2019 Summer Camps at PVCC! Programs are offered for Elementary, Middle and High School Students. Select a camp that interests you! Come experience PVCC's vibrant campus and rigorous academic environment before freshman year. Take time to think about what you like to do and what you're passionate about, as well as your skills and talents. Then explore the following to see which camp is the best fit for you!
Dates & Registration
Camps Run June 3 - July 18
Register here by April 30 for 20% Early Bird Discount!
Life Skills | Performing Arts | STEAM | Music and More!
One-week and/or two-week camps
Full-day and half-day camps
Varying start times, 9am-3pm
20% discount for sibling registration
Easy payments online
What to look forward to:
Programming created and taught by college professors
Hands-on learning activities based on your area of interest
Real-world insight from partnering businesses around the Valley
And so much more!
For additional information, visit the summer camp website or contact Elba Boe at 602-787-7073.
The PVCC Experience: Fine & Performing Arts
Interested in the Fine & Performing Arts at PVCC? See what these students have to say about our programs, teachers and the PVCC experience:
Saturday Concert Series: Grupo Liberdade
October 15th will be an exciting day at PVCC!
PVCC Fine & Performing Arts Open House from 1:00p-4:00pm
Saturday Concert Series with Grupo Liberdade and Queso Good food truck at 6:00pm.
Grupo Liberdade is a performance group dedicated to freedom of expression through Culture, Movement & Sound. We promote COMMUNITY, DIVERSITY & EMPOWERMENT drawing upon the traditional & contemporary rhythms of Brazil and beyond while bringing an original sound & energy to our desert metropolis. Specializing in Batucada including the Afro-Brazilian styles of Samba, Samba Reggae, Côcos and Maracatu, Grupo Liberdade strives to share the infectious sounds of Brasil with Arizona to further enrich, move & inspire.
Since 2004, the group has performed throughout Arizona under the direction of Brazilian native, Poranguí from leading the Annual Phoenix Parade of the Arts through downtown Phoenix, to drumming & dancing in the new year for thousands of party-goers at the historical Hotel Congress in Tucson. Founded in 2008 by Angelique Starks, the SambAZ Dancers have quickly become one of the liveliest and most notable Samba acts in the country. Dedicated to creating music to move the body & soul, this project brings together diversity on all levels with an incredible show of talented musicians & dancers that must not be watched, but experienced!
Fall 2016 Fine Arts Open House
Saturday, October 15th | 1:00 PM - 4:00 pm
On Saturday, October 15th Paradise Valley Community College’s Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) will host the Fine Arts Open House. This free event features demos, performances, tours, workshops, and hands-on activities. Music, dance, theatre, costume design, creative writing, film, and studio recording are among the fine and performing arts programs that will be showcased. Information about classes, programs, events, scholarships and performance opportunities will be available, and those in attendance will be treated to a variety of special performances and workshops throughout the afternoon.
Fall First Saturday Concert Series @ PVCC
Paradise Valley Community College’s Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) will host a series of music concerts on the first Saturday of September, October and November 2016. These free performances are presented on the CPA’s outdoor amphitheater stage from 6-8 p.m., and audience members are invited to bring a folding chair or blanket as the space accommodates lawn seating only. Several of Phoenix's most popular food trucks will be on site to serve concessions. Cash donations will be accepted.
For more information about events in the Center for the Performing Arts, go to the Center for the Performing Arts page or call 602-787-7738. Box Office hours are 12-5pm Tuesday through Friday and one hour prior to show.
The Center for the Performing Arts is conveniently located at 34th Street and Union Hills at the east end of the campus of Paradise Valley Community College in North Phoenix. Parking is free. For additional information or reservations, please call 602-787-7738 or visit the Center for the Performing Arts page.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH : THE CHUCK HALL BAND (ELECTRIC BLUES)
6:00p-8:00p, Free Admission
The Chuck Hall Band creates art in the form of music. The recipe they use is simple: Start with blues that’s so greasy it clogs the arteries in your ears. Stir in generous portions of refined talent and raw passion, add a dash of showmanship sprinkled with a touch of salty humor and cook on high heat until it smokes. Serve steaming hot. The result is a spicy musical feast that satisfies and always leaves you wanting more.
The chef, Chuck Hall, was born in Louisiana and raised on the Texas side listening to the likes of many artists including Lightnin’ Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Freddie King and Albert King. Since moving to the Valley in 1984, he has become a well-known and respected musician. As a 35+ year veteran in the music business Chuck has played with some of the best, opening shows for Albert Collins, B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Albert King, Willie Dixon, Robert Cray, Gregg Allman, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and many others.
Chuck’s unique talent and uncompromising dedication to his craft have earned him accolades among fans and critics. He won “Best Blues Guitarist” in Arizona two years in a row, and his song “Young Boy” was selected Best Song by Soundboard magazine. He also was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame in 2000.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH : GRUPO LIBERDADE (BRAZILIAN MUSIC AND DANCE)
6:00p - 8:00p, Free Admission
Grupo Liberdade is a performance group dedicated to freedom of expression through Culture, Movement & Sound. We promote COMMUNITY, DIVERSITY & EMPOWERMENT drawing upon the traditional & contemporary rhythms of Brazil and beyond while bringing an original sound & energy to our desert metropolis. Specializing in Batucada including the Afro-Brazilian styles of Samba, Samba Reggae, Côcos and Maracatu, Grupo Liberdade strives to share the infectious sounds of Brasil with Arizona to further enrich, move & inspire.
Since 2004, the group has performed throughout Arizona under the direction of Brazilian native, Poranguí from leading the Annual Phoenix Parade of the Arts through downtown Phoenix, to drumming & dancing in the new year for thousands of party-goers at the historical Hotel Congress in Tucson. Founded in 2008 by Angelique Starks, the SambAZ Dancers have quickly become one of the liveliest and most notable Samba acts in the country. Dedicated to creating music to move the body & soul, this project brings together diversity on all levels with an incredible show of talented musicians & dancers that must not be watched, but experienced!
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH : DAVEY ARNOLD (COUNTRY MUSIC)
6:00p - 8:00p, Free Admission
Davey was born and raised in Whittier, CA. Ever since he was a kid, he dreamed of being a professional baseball player. After playing Junior College Baseball, he decided to trade the bat and glove for a six string.
Davey moved to Tempe, AZ where he attended Arizona State University. After a long day of classes, you’d find Davey in local clubs playing to anyone who wanted to listen. Soon, he was playing the biggest venues in Arizona such as The Bird’s Nest at the Waste Management Open in Scottsdale and The Pepsi Amphitheater in Flagstaff.
Davey has opened for national Country recording artists such as Dierks Bentley, Joe Nichols, Brothers Osborne, Chris Janson, and Craig Morgan to name a few. He also recently played Arizona’s largest Country Music Festival, Country Thunder in Florence, AZ.
In May of 2016, Davey released his new single, Autumn Love…and is continuing to play all around Arizona and the Southwest.
PVCC IS A TOBACCO-FREE CAMPUS
In order to promote a healthy learning and work environment, the Maricopa County Community College District has created smoke-free and tobacco-free campuses effective July 1, 2012. Smoking and all uses of tobacco is prohibited at Paradise Valley Community College, including but not limited to parking lots, rooftops, courtyards, plazas, entrance and exit ways, vehicles, sidewalks, common areas, grounds, athletic facilities and libraries. Visitors also must adhere to this policy when on campus for public events.
Fall Dance Classes at PVCC
From Modern to Ballroom to Belly Dance to Ballet - check out our Fall 2016 Dance offerings at PVCC.
PVCC hosts Ken Waldman, Alaska's Fiddling Poet | Free Event
Tuesday, March 22, 2016 @ 7:30pm, Free Admission
The Center for Performing Arts Main Stage
PVCC's Creative Writing Program Presents:
Ken Waldman, Alaska's Fiddling Poet
Ken Waldman primarily plays old-time music, which predates bluegrass. Historically, this is a string-band music linked to Appalachia, though, really, there are variants most everywhere in North America. Some of the tunes he plays are more than two centuries old, though he also has recorded over a hundred he's composed in the style.
Though solo fiddling has its own long-standing tradition—and Ken will still occasionally play solo, especially in conjunction with literary or storytelling events—there's also a long tradition of fiddle and banjo, and of four-piece string-bands with fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass. The permutations are endless: some groups will add a second fiddle, or a mandolin, or will specialize in singing. Some will feature a percussive dancer.
While the music is more widely recognized as square dance music, it's also music of a community, and made among friends. Where bluegrass invariably features hot virtuosic solos, old-time music is an ensemble affair, which relies on a shared background of listening to the music, and playing it.
What distinguishes Ken is that he uses this music in performance as backdrop as he shares original poems—poetry often about this music—and tells stories, most often about the music, or about Alaska. And while bluegrass may he considered flashier, old-time music may be considered more soulful, which doesn't preclude a high level of musicianship, or satisfaction in the listening. Ken started playing fiddle in 1981, long enough that he knows, and has as friends, hundreds of musicians who are among the very best in this genre. When Ken performs, he can bring “local” accompanists who are highest level musicians themselves, artists who headline their own regional, national, international shows.
Over the years, as Ken's performances have evolved, he enjoys assembling these all-star bands, and featuring the all-star musicians during the course of the evening. The resulting roots music variety shows, which also include December holiday shows, have proven to be one of Ken's most popular offerings. Ken tailors the evening to a particular community, so shows will incorporate big groups with multiple fiddlers and dancers as well as soloists, duos, and trios, which Ken introduces with a brief poem or story.
Spring 2016 Concerts and Events
Phoenix Experimental Arts Festival - February 20th, 2016
Phoenix Experimental Arts Festival
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Paradise Valley Community College
Center for the Performing Arts (CPA)
#puttingtheAinsteam
Events/Activities:
12:00pm-4:00pm: OPEN HOUSE
Center for the Performing Arts Lobby/Gallery:
• PLAY, located in the SE corner of the gallery, is an interactive sound installation featuring a Theremin (electronic musical instrument) and several audio filters to alter the sound (via guitar effects pedals). Visitors are invited to PLAY the theremin and engage the guitar effects pedals to create unique tambres. In addition, schematic diagrams of the theremin and filters will be displayed for those interested in electronics and engineering.
• D!G, located in the West corner of the gallery. Designed as a dance/installation piece, D!G comprises 22 self-contained microprocessor/sensor/speaker assemblies. Each assembly utilizes a micro SD card to store and playback sensor data and a LiPo battery for power. Sensor/speaker assemblies are covered by hand-made crocheted pieces to give them a more appealing aesthetic. In playback mode in installation, sensors are distributed on string tapestries throughout the gallery. The intention is to allow audiences a more exploratory approach to the sound. Other features of the installation include a subsonic vibrating bench and tablets preloaded with an Android app. All elements work with the concept of the measurement/capture/representation of movement.
Center for the Performing Arts Music Room (CPA 115):
• A live electro-acoustic music performance featuring acoustic musical instruments (piano, percussion, strings, etc.) and electronic components, filters, compressors, effects units and computer software. PVCC commercial music faculty members Jacob Adler (instruments) and Tony Obr (technology) will lead the performance and hold a series of Q & A’s with audience members.
6:00pm-7:00pm: PRE-PERFORMANCE EXHIBITS
Center for the Performing Arts Lobby/Gallery:
• PLAY, located in the SE corner of the gallery, is an interactive sound installation featuring a Theremin (electronic musical instrument) and several audio filters to alter the sound (via guitar effects pedals). Visitors are invited to PLAY the theremin and engage the guitar effects pedals to create unique tambres. In addition, schematic diagrams of the theremin and filters will be displayed for those interested in electronics and engineering.
• D!G, located in the West corner of the gallery. Designed as a dance/installation piece, D!G comprises 22 self-contained microprocessor/sensor/speaker assemblies. Each assembly utilizes a micro SD card to store and playback sensor data and a LiPo battery for power. Sensor/speaker assemblies are covered by hand-made crocheted pieces to give them a more appealing aesthetic. In playback mode in installation, sensors are distributed on string tapestries throughout the gallery. The intention is to allow audiences a more exploratory approach to the sound. Other features of the installation include a subsonic vibrating bench and tablets preloaded with an Android app. All elements work with the concept of the measurement/capture/representation of movement.
7:00-10:00pm: SIGNATURE PERFORMANCES
Center for the Performing Arts Mainstage:
• An electro-acoustic musical performance featuring 3 miniature toy pianos and specially constructed speaker cones to playback 3 channels of 1-bit electronics.
• A new electro-acoustic performance and a multimedia embodiment (visual/audio) of real-time Twitter data. The Twitter data creates a generative graphic score that is interpreted by the performer on percussion instruments. Audience members are encouraged to participate by including the hashtag #SIFTT in their reaction tweets during the performance. Tweets that include the #SIFTT influence the algorithms that generate the audio and visual components of the work.
• A live, improvised, multi-media work that blends digital and analog instruments and processes during a live performance
• A new percussion composition, Omónoia combines specific constellations (listed by Ptolemy) mapped as musical material and visual stimuli. The purpose is to create a graphic score that can be read in any direction. Additionally, the performers participate in creating the score by matching up portions of the score to make a map for performance. Performers use a wide range of implements to create various timbres while occasionally returning to the conventional method of playing the instrument. This piece demonstrates the importance of perspective and how vastly different interpretations can arise from the same material.
• A real-time collaborative performance between two dancers, two musicians and a lighting designer. These five artists come together to compose a piece with light, music and dance in real-time. Each performance offers unique perspectives to the audience as it unfolds. Inspired by the passage of time, this collaboration revels in a temporal ebb and flow via the body, sound and shifting light.